whalen



@reitsh i IMPROVEMENT IN PENDULUMS FOR CLOCKS.

W. I). WHALEN, OF NORTHVILLE, MICHIGAN.

Y Letters .Patent No. 60,303, dated December 4, 1866.

SPECIFICATION. TO ALL WHOM IT MAY CONCERN Be it known that I, D. WHALEN, of Northville, in the county of Wayne, and State of Michigan, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Pendulums for Clocks; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, which will enable others skilled in the art to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification.

My invention consists in an improvement in the manner of constructing and attaching pendulums to clocks, by which I am enabled to obviate many of theinconveniences and irregularities connected with the time-keepers now in use. This pendulum may be constructed of any material most suitable, and consists of a bnr suspended horizontally from its middle point by a lexible metal spring which allows it a vibrating motion in a vertical plane. To each end of this bar is attached a weight so arranged that by means of aserew they may be brought nearer or moved away from the point of suspension, by which movement the clock may be made to go faster or slower, as necessary, and also may be very easily regulated. In horolot'y the great aim has always been to construct time-keepers in such a manner as toihave the least possible'friction and the greatest renularity of motion.

length, so that by their slow vibrations the number of wheels conveyinf` the motion to the hands will be diminished and the friction thus lessened. T

o attain regularity is much more diilicult from the varying temperature ofV the atmosphere, and many costly and complicated arrangements re employed` inttle more expensive class of time-keepers, while the ordinary clocks are often constructed with very defective means of regulation. My invention, hyits simplicity and easy method of lengthening or shortening the pendulum, obviates much of this dilliculty, while from the manner of its vibration a very short pendulum may be used and the same end attained as by the use of a long one of the ordinary kind, while the clock is much less eunibrous and inconvenient.

To enable others skilled in the art to make use of my invention, I will now proceed to describe its construction and operation, reference being had tothe accompanying drawing and the letters marked thereon,

of which- Figure 1 is a front elevation of a portion of a clock with the pendulum attached. Figure 2 is a side sectional elevation taken through x z of part of the clock and cscapemcnts, enlarged so as to show the manner of suspension.

Similar letters of reference indicate like parts.

A, fig. 1, is -the frame for the support of the parts of the clock, put together in the ordinary manner. B represents a case inclosing the actuating spring; motion is communicated by means of the wheels, C and D, and the pinion on the axle of D to the escapernent-wheel, E. F is the pendulum rod,' which may be of a length to give the requisite number of vibrations; to the upper part of this rod is ailixed the small metal block, a, so that its longitudinal axis is at right angles with that of the rod, F. This block is pierced in the direction of its length and has anarrow slot connecting this opening` with the top ofthe block" c is a pin, to which is attached a thin metali spring, 6; this pin is passed into the hole in the block a, and the spring I) passes through thc slot in its upper part and is suspended from 'the block d, which is fastened to the frame of the clock, and in this manner sustains the pendulum rod, F. From the lower part of the rod, F, projects the metal strip, H, which passes through an opening in the thin plate, g; this plate is attached to the crutch, k, connected with the pallets m m. At the ends of the rods, F, are the weights, G Gr', which may be constructed in any suitable manner, and by moving thein on the screws, n n,

suspension.

they may he brought nearer or moved farther away from the point of I will now proceed to show the manner of its operation. When the spring is wound up its force is communicated through the series of wheels, C D, and pinions on the axles of the wheels D and-E, to the escapement wheel, E.

gag'ed by the pallets, it communicates a vibratory motion tothe crutch, k, andl its attached plate, g. These vibrations are communicated to the stri side to side about itspoint of suspensie up and down motion at the ends of the p H and the central part of the rod, F, 4giving it a. small motion from at d. These-short vibrations from side to sfide are converted into an ods, thus giving the distinctive feature 0f the improvement. When it is desired to retard the motion the weights, G G, are moved to a greater distance from the point of suspension,

but if the clock 'goes too slow they must be moved nearer together.

lowering the pendulum bar.

It may also be regulated by raising or The pendulum rod may be modified by constructing it of two strips of diEerent metals, the lower half being made of steel and the upper half of zinc,.brass, or any metal more a'ected by 4heat and cold than steel. When the pendulum would be shortened by cold, and thus have a. tendency to go faster, the zinc, by contracting more than the steel, would draw the ends ofthe pendulum rod up, thus virtually suspending the weights at a point nearer to the plane of the point of suspension and' giving to them a slower motion to compensate/Aforthe decreased length of the rod, and in a like manner when the rod is lengthenedv by heat, the increased'lengthening of' the upper part of the rod would depress the weights further below the plane 1. A horizontal pendulum vibrating in a vertical plane, and suspended and operating substantially as and 'for the purpose specified.

2. I claim, in combination with the above, the adjustable balls G, applied in the`manne1'nnd for the purpose specified.

Witnesses:

H. P. Conn, A. A. GARDNER.

W. D. WHALEN. 

